Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you probably know romantasy (romantic fantasy) is one of the hottest genres right now. In fact, earlier this year, Rebecca Yarros’s Onyx Storm, the third book in the Empyrean series, sold 2.7 million copies in its first week, making it the fastest-selling adult title ever. Sarah J. Maas, author of the A Court of Thorns and Roses books among others, has sold more than 75 million copies of her books.

Romantasy is not my preferred genre (it’s dark fantasy; thanks for asking); however, I aspire to write more commercially viable stories, so I figured I should read this top-selling genre. Therefore, I read three of the top-selling traditionally published romantasy books and one top indie book to see what all the fuss was about and to, hopefully, learn a thing or two.

Here are the books I read:

• A Court of Thorns and Roses (ACOTAR) and A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas
• Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
• Quicksilver by Callie Hart
• A Bargain So Bloody by Vasilisa Drake

Overall, I was shocked by how similar these books are. While they have very different premises, they have huge overlaps in character traits, tropes, writing styles, settings, and plot points.

Below are the specific trends I saw, and why I think they’re effective for these types of stories (hint, they support wish fulfillment). Note there are major spoilers.

The story is told from the female main character’s (FMC’s) perspective using first-person point of view.

Subsequent novels and editions may include some scenes from the male main character’s (MMC’s) perspective, but the first novel in all four series is entirely from the FMC’s first-person point-of-view. This intimate point of view allows the reader to feel like they are the FMC and therefore live through her.

The FMC is human.

This may seem obvious, but I think it’s worth mentioning because the MMC is usually not human. Having the FMC be human makes it easier for the reader to connect with her.

The setting is very vaguely medieval.

These worlds are all vaguely medieval; however, the only truly medieval thing about them is that they use swords (although mostly improperly) and they don’t have phones or guns. They have running water and toilets. They use modern language and have modern social norms. Basically, it’s set at a Renaissance Festival. It’s all this fun of a medieval setting with none of the limitations! Also, the author doesn’t have to do any research.

There is 100% effective magical birth control.

For these books to deliver on the spice, the FMC needs to be able to have a lots of sex without fear, and unwanted pregnancies are the antithesis of a wish fulfillment fantasy. Hence, 100% effective magical birth control is a must.

The FMC is said to be physically weak but is super strong when the plot requires.

This happens to various degrees in all four series but is best seen in Fourth Wing where Violet is so weak she can’t hold a sword (which typically weighs about three pounds), but she can win grappling fights against men and stab a knife into a solid piece of wood deep enough that she can then use it to pull herself up (which is inhumanely strong).

People love an underdog, but they also love a winner. This inconsistency allows the FMC to be both. Furthermore, I think this demonstrates that authors don’t need to know more than their audiences. If their target audience knows nothing about swords, they can get away with knowing nothing about swords.

The FMC is taught to fight by the MMC’s best friend.

This happens in all four series to a degree. In three of them, it is literally the MMC’s BFF that trains the FMC. In Fourth Wing, it’s Xaden’s people, but not his best friend.

This one surprised me, because I would have assumed the MMC would train the FMC. However, I think this trope gives the MMC a chance to demonstrate that he has nice friends and shows off some fun side characters. It also gives the FMC time alone with someone who knows the MMC, so she can ask questions and learn about his tragic past and heart of gold, which brings us to the next item.

The MMC is seen as dangerous and has shadow/dark magic—but he actually has a heart of gold.

In all four series, the MMCs are “shadow daddies.” They are bad boys, and everyone knows that bad boys are hot!Three of the four literally have shadow magic (the fourth is a vampire). They’re all strong—both physically and magically powerful—and at first, they are all broody and dangerous. They might undertake nefarious actions (ACOTAR) or be a jerk to the FMC (Quicksilver) when we first meet them. However, the FMC later learns these actions were done for heroic purposes.

The MMC is royalty (or at least nobility) and is super powerful.

The FMC isn’t dating/marrying a poor farmer. She’s marrying the king (or high lord, etc.) and doing so makes her a queen (or high lady, whatever). This one is definitely part of the wish fulfillment aspect.

The MMC has a big dick.

Do I need to explain this? He’s great at sex, meets all her sexual needs and desires, and is hung like a horse.

The MMC has magical tattoos.

The MMC is tall, dark, and handsome, and he has magical tattoos. If tattoos are hot and sexy, then magical tattoos are even hotter.

The FMC is attractive and thin.

The reader is living the fantasy through the FMC and being traditionally beautiful is part of that fantasy.

The MMC falls first but secretly; he pretends he’s not in love.

Unrequited love is no one’s fantasy. By the time the FMC admits she’s in love, the MMC needs to be completely smitten. His love will be obvious even if he doesn’t want to admit it. However, later he’ll tell the FMC that he loved her from the moment he first laid eyes on her (calling her his “mate” is optional).

The FMC is the most special person to ever be special.

The FMC doesn’t just get the guy. She also gets her own magical powers, and she isn’t just powerful—she possesses a never-before-seen level of power. Perhaps she can control all the vampires (A Bargain So Bloody), is the best alchemist to ever live (Quicksilver), has the powers of all seven high lords (ACOTAR), or bonds with the best dragon and a bonus ultra-special dragon even though no one has ever had two dragons before (Fourth Wing).

Romantasy is the ultimate wish fulfillment story, and these books go over the top with how special the FMC is. She ends up with everything: money, status, power, looks, a cool title, and the boy.

The FMC and the MMC have a special bond that allows psychic communication.

Everyone loved passing notes as a kid. This is the magical adult version of that. The three traditionally published books enable the pair to talk back and forth via this telepathic communication. A Bargain So Bloody only allows the MMC to sense the FMC’s emotions.

I think the fantasy here is having a man who can literally read your mind and meet your every desire, but it’s also creepy as hell, which brings us to the next item.

The MMC teaches the FMC how to shield her mind.

Because the MMC can read the FMC’s mind, she needs to learn how to protect herself and keep the creep factor under control. The MMC is the obvious tutor. It gives the pair a chance to flirt and work toward a shared goal together, and he gets to be amazed by what a quick learner she is (she is always the quickest of learners).

The FMC has a significant book.

Readers like books so, of course, the FMC gets a very special book! The book varies from magical grimoires (ACOTAR and A Bargain So Bloody) to a brother’s journal (Fourth Wing). Poor Saeris did not get a book in Quicksilver, but there is a sequel I have not read, so maybe she gets a book there.

The FMC has little respect for authority and believes she deserves better treatment.

Despite being raised impoverished in a vaguely medieval society, the FMC believes in equality. Specifically, she believes she’s as good as anyone else. When confronted by an authority figure, such as the king, she will show no deference and will happily tell him where to shove it.

The FMC does not wear dresses.

The FMC is not like the other girls! She does not want to wear a dress! She wants to wear pants! Pants, you fools. The MMC’s people will keep giving her dresses, which she will refuse. However, it is important to note that when she wears a dress everyone thinks she looks stunning.

The FMC wants to go home—even though her home sucks.

The FMC’s home sucks. She’s poor to the point she’s at risk of literally dying of starvation (ACOTAR and A Bargain So Bloody) or of thirst (Quicksilver). Also, her siblings might be the most obnoxious people on the entire planet (ACOTAR and Quicksilver). Yet when she gets stuck in the MMC’s world where she is being treated like royalty, she will hate it and try to get home.

The exception to this is Fourth Wing, where it’s almost completely flipped. Violet fights to stay at the dangerous military academy when she could easily retreat to the safety of the scribes’ quarter, which she thinks of as her home.

There is a potential male love interest before the MMC.

All these books have what I’ve dubbed a “first boy,” potential male love interest before the MMC. The degree to which the FMC actually likes him varies greatly. In most, the first boy continues as a major character in the story (with the exception of A Bargain So Bloody, where he is quickly murdered by the MMC).

In both Fourth Wing and ACOTAR, this first male love interest is originally introduced as a nice, charming boy before becoming controlling. In Quicksilver, the first boy, named Carrion, remains a loyal friend to the FMC throughout the novel, risking his life to help her rescue the MMC.

Interestingly, ACOTAR technically does this twice. Feyre has a human love interest when the book starts. Tamlin (the MMC of the first book) then replaces that, and then Rhysand (the series MMC) replaces him.

Having this first boy establishes that the FMC is desirable, and it gives the FMC someone to compare the MMC to in a favorable light. Also, because many of these stories are enemies-to-lovers, it gives the readers a bit of romance during the enemies stage.

Control is a major theme.

The FMC hates being controlled (possibly because of her experience with the first boy, as noted above); however, the MMC wants to protect her. The two argue about where this line between protection and control is to the extent that it becomes an important theme of the novel.

The FMC has a dead parent or parents.

This gives the FMC a tragic past and limits the number of people she can go to for help.

The MMC has a traumatic and tragic past.

Trauma makes him sympathetic. He’s not evil; he’s sad!

The MMC’s parents are dead, and he has no relatives closer than a cousin or secret half-sibling.

The reason for this seems pretty clear: no one wants in-laws! (I’m kidding… but not really.) It does mean the FMC is his entire family (besides his BFFs), which increases her importance. Also, this contributes to his tragic past (see above).

The FMC dies at the end of the first book and becomes a magical creature.

Fourth Wing is the only exception to this, and it’s because in Fourth Wing the MMC is a human (gasp). However, the other three FMCs are dating immortals (vampires or fairies). If she ages at a normal rate, things quickly get weird (You could argue that things were already weird because a 19-year-old girl dating a 500-year-old fairy is weird regardless of how young he looks, but obviously, romantasy readers don’t think so). The obvious solution is to have her suffer a dramatic death and then be revived as an immortal. Problem solved!

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